Malta Powerlifting

Mario Mifsud Crowned World Champion

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:56:00 +0000

On the 14th of November Mario Mifsud proved his dominance not only of drug-free Powerlifting in Malta, but of the whole World. Lifting in the -125kg category, Mifsud also broke the World Deadllift record with an incredible 325kg lift, to the roaring cheers of his team mates and a packed conference hall at the Hilton Hotel in Milton Keynes. On the way to his championship 742.5kg total, he also squatted 240 and benched 177.5kgs, proving he is among the very strongest drug-free athletes on the planet. Mifsud won his category ahead of

Fellow Heavy Metal lifters Emanuel Schembri (below) and Mariel Incorvaja did not dissapoint. Schembri demonstrated some of his usual world class squatting. He broke the -110kg Junior world record with his 241kg squat. He went on to total 605kgs to place 7th in the -110kg class. His category was won by Swiss lifter Roland Gongarad. Incorvaja set three new world records in the women's -90 M1 category with her 90/57.5/140 performance.

Daniel Debono (below) placed 8th in the 67.5kg category with the highlight of his day being his attempt at the Junior Deadlift record with his 211kg pull. It only got as far as his knees but he is close. With another year left in the Junior category he has his sights set on the record books next year. Stuart Ford from Britain won that category with a phenomenal 567.5kg total.

Malta's largest representation was in the 75kg class. Sadly Charles Degiorgio bombed out of the competition with three attempts at 177.5kgs in the squat that failed to hit the right depth. He will be fighting back next season to make his mark. Edward Attard squatted and benched true to form with lifts of 150 and 117.5 respectively, however also bombed out with three unsuccussful deadlift attempts at 160kgs.

Kurt Bullock and Sean Galea (above) posted respectable performances with totals of 462.5 and 470 respectively. Galea placed 8th with Bullock in 9th. Both lifters have lifted more in the past so they should be hitting some bigger numbers again soon with this additional valuable experience under their belt. British lifter Mark Fleming eventually won the 75kg category convincingly with his World Record 612.5kg total.

Kris Mintoff (above) and Matthew Muscat Inglott both lifted in the 82.5kg category. Mintoff registered an excellent performance in his first ever international appearance by placing 6th with a 530kg total. Malta's number two lifter Muscat Inglott lifted a little under par by failing to achieve his previous bests in this category, and had to be content with 5th place and a 547.5kg total. Paul Mccaffrey from Britain went on to take the 82.5kg category overall with a 630kg total.

MDFPA President Nikolai Borg (below) was the head of the delegation and also performed international refereeing duties at the championships. This was the largest ever contingent to represent Malta in international powerlifting.
Mario Mifsud's 325kg World Record Deadlift can be viewed here. Mario also appeared on TVM last week in an interview that can be viewed here.

August Test - Dazzling New Heights

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:02:00 +0000

Bertu's gym were magnificent hosts last Sunday to the MDFPA August test and qualification tournament for the World Single-Event Championships in Bradford, UK, this coming September. Some mind-blowing lifting from all concerned proved how the standard of Maltese powerlifting is rocketing skywards. It can now be said, that earning a spot in the top ten national rankings is truly a great honour. The top local powerlifters have been working hard in the gym, as our local contests now consistently feature world-class performances.

Mariel Incorvaja continued to establish herself as Malta's premier female lifter by clearing 85/55/130 with ease in the 80kg category. Sean Galea (above) and Chris Schinas sadly didn't have the best of days, both failing to achieve a Total. Nursing a groin injury Schinas opted out of squats. He went on to Bench 90kgs and Deadlift 170kgs for a qualifying standard at the World Singles. Galea registered an opening Squat of 162.5kgs, but raised his white flag in surrender thereafter.

The ripped-to-shreds Andrew Farrugia (above) made a presence at the event with some specialist Benching, taking time out from his track training as a 100m sprinter. Weighing in at a trim 63kgs he went on to break Sean Galea's National Record in the 67.5kg category with a 112.5kg press. He turned up believing he could break the record, and that's exactly what he did. With some modifications to his technique, who knows what this lightweight Bencher can conjure in the future.

Antoine Pace stepped onto the platform for the first time ever. Lifting out of the Zurrieq Powerlifting Club, he raised 105/85/120 in the 75kg class for 211 points, which means he hasn't quite made it onto the top twenty rankings, but no doubt he is bitten by the iron bug and will be upping his game on his next appearance. Another impressive newcomer, Josef Spiteri (above) has been vigilantly preparing for his first ever appearance under the watchful eye of Charles Degiorgio down at Fitness Planet. Degiorgio now has a reputation for preparing and entering fine quality lifters onto the local scene, showing his coaching skills are second to none. Spiteri set a National Record on his first ever appearance, out-benching Matthew Muscat Inglott in the 100kg class with a smooth 152.5kg lift. He is now ranked number 11, just about missing out on a coveted top ten spot.

Newcomer Kristian Mintoff (above) lifting on home ground out of Bertu's gym itself turned a few heads with a fantastic debut on the local Powerlifting platform. He was lifting in the 82.5kg class and easily handled a 170/115/215 which means he swoops into the Rankings already earning a top ten spot. He is now ranked eight, and all eyes are on this powerful new lifter to make some noise in the 82.5kg class. A trimmed down and well-conditioned Aleksander Dolgopolyk (below) registered a fine performance in the 75kg category clinching fifth place overall. He lifted 180/122.5/195 for a final total of 497.5; very respectable for a first performance in this class. He is now ranked 6th Nationally.

Emanuel Schembri (below) dazzled all with a National Record 235kg Squat in the 125kg class, determined to keep his name on the list with the hulking Mario Mifsud having such a strong presence in that category. He proceeded to Bench 155kgs and Deadlift 250kgs for a final Total of 640kgs. His final points tally means he jumps up the rankings into fourth place, finally overtaking Sean Galea.

In third place the highly polished Charles Degiorgio (below) registered the performance of a lifetime. He annihilated Matthew Muscat Inglott's Squat record in the 75kg class with an incredible 190kg lift. Looking much more comfortable in this weight class after moving up from the 67's he went on to break his own National Record in the Bench with a 125kg press. He Deadlifted 205kgs leaving him with a little work before he catches up with Muscat Inglott's 235kg heave in Belgium last year which remains the 75kg National Deadlift Record. He did manage to equal the Total record in the 75kg class of 520kgs, which means he should have his name elsewhere on the Record list in the near future.

Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) lifted his way to second overall on points. He weighed in a tad over 90kgs in order to challenge for the 100kg class records previously belonging to Marvin Cilia. He began his record breaking run with a convincing 212.5kg Squat. He had to be content with his second attempt bench press of 142.5kgs, while going on to Deadlift a token 250kgs to secure a second National record, and also a third and final record of the day with a 605kgs total. He now holds an overall tally of 13 National Records in four separate weight classes, all set within a year of each other. In order to mount a credible assault at a World title in November in the 90kg class, Malta's number two needs a little work on his bench and Deadlift, while his Squat appears to be moving forwards in the right direction.

Malta's strongest man Mario Mifsud (below) stole the show in usual bar-bending style. Lifting in the 125kg class he equaled the National Squat record with his successful attempt at 235kgs and smashed his own Bench Press record with an awe-inspiring 190kg press. The best was yet to come however as he went on to Deadlift an earth-shattering top quality pull of 310kgs, just 10kgs shy of the open World Record which currently rests in British hands. Mario is still first in line as most likely to set an open World record for Malta. His final Total of 735kgs was also a new National Record, and lifting at such heights he is in with a real chance of walking away with a World title at the full powerlifting World's in Milton Keynes this coming November, showing he is still Malta's premier Powerlifter, and possibly one of the greatest athletes ever to represent Malta in the international sporting arena.

Nikolai Borg, Adelia Saliba and Adrian Debattista also did a fine job refereeing with some good calls. A huge thanks goes out to Bertu's Gym and all the staff there who helped to make the lifter's day a pleasant one.

Afternoon of Heavy Metal

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:41:00 +0000

We interrupted Malta's strongest men at Mario Mifsud's Heavy Metal gym in Birkirkara to officially present the award for Malta's strongest team. Mario Mifsud, Emanuel Schembri and Lawrence Ransley cleaned up at the Malta Team Championships in March by obliterating teams from Zebbug, Sliema and Zurrieq with a whopping combined total of 1902.5kgs.

Mifsud and Schembri were busy benching some heavy metal in preparation for the next hot ticket on the Powerlifting calendar; the 2009 World Powerlifting Championships in Milton Keynes, UK, this November. Mifsud will be challenging for the 125kg open title, while Schembri hopes to get his name onto the international record books once again in the Junior 110kg category.

MDFPA rocks Dusseldorf

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:37:00 +0000

The MDFPA made a presence in Dusseldorf last weekend as Matthew Muscat Inglott and Chris Schinas answered the GDFPF's invitation by supplying some quality guest lifting at the German National Championships.

Chris Schinas got some valuable experience in competing at an international event. He started out a little shakey in the squat, registering his first attempt at 112.5kgs (above) but failing to hit the correct depth in his 2nd and 3rd attempts with 117.5kgs.

He quickly made up for it over the remainder of the competition however by breaking his personal bests in the Bench Press and Deadlift (above) with lifts of 90kgs and 170kgs respectively.

Matthew Muscat Inglott set three new national records in the 90kg category with a 205kg Squat (above) and 145kg Bench Press (below).

He nearly made it four with his final Deadlift attempt at 257.5kgs (below). After locking out he failed to hang onto the bar until the referee's "down" signal as his left hand slipped open sending the bar crashing back down to the platform.

The two local lifters were accompanied by German-speaking Simon Xuereb who kindly took care of all communication requirements throughout the trip and also proved to be quite handy with his camera! The trio headed off to Cologne after the competition to let off some steam.

Guest lifters from England and Belgium also turned out in force at the event. The MDFPA extends its thanks to Mariyana Marinova and all our fellow German lifters!

The official results have been published on the GDFPF website at http://gdfpf.de.tl/Results.htm

Judgement Day: 2009 National Championships

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Lija residents must have thought an earthquake erupted last Saturday as Malta's strongest descended on the University Residence to move some serious metal. The 2009 National Championships were a true spectacle of power.

The day kicked off with the B group lifting in the morning. Two athletes dropped out of the group due to illness leaving Elton Caruana, Jean Luc Micallef, Chris Schinas and Edward Attard to fight it out. Edward Attard proved the dominant lifter of the session with some polished deadlifting culminating in a new personal record of 180kgs. He totaled 437.5kgs for 301 points. He is now just one place shy of the top ten nationally ranked powerlifters. On his tail was Chris Schinas, a determined 67.5kg lifter who has been steadily climbing the ranks in the lead up to this event. He crept up the rankings to 15th place with his new personal record of 265 points.

Jean Luc Micallef impressed with his squat as always, registering a 132.5kg lift in the 67.5kg category. 75Kg class lifter Elton Caruana looked highly promising at the start with a 150kg opener on the squat. The weight was no problem, but he was red lighted for moving his feet after the start signal. Unfortunately he ended up bombing out of the competition but could have been a force to be reckoned with. Mariel Incorvaja is now Malta's premier female lifter with her performance of 265kgs in total.

The stage was set for a first class show in the evening as the A group lifters stepped onto the platform. All the top names were there, and the crowd showed it's appreciation for some top quality lifting. WDFPF President Wim Backelant was on hand throughout to supervise the event. This was Mr and Mrs Backelant's second visit to Malta since the inception of the MDFPA.

Kurt Bullock (above) celebrated his first major competition as a Junior lifter with a National Title in the 75kg class, elbowing Edward Attard into 2nd place. Bullock already has ample experience under his belt and looks set to set the platform alight in the near future if he keeps on improving the way he has been. He lifted a flawless total of 470kgs to register 315 points. This places Bullock 7th in the rankings.

Emanuel Schembri (above) did well to make weight for the 110kg category and lifted true to form with some great squatting, equaling Mario Mifsud's National Record of 230kgs. His total of 602.5kgs secured him the National Title in his weight class. The big man has his sights set on breaking his own junior world single lift record in the 125kg class squat again this year.

The much anticipated face off for the 67.5kg category between Charles Degiorgio (below) and Sean Galea (above) did not dissapoint. The two lifters have be jostling for the 67.5kg records for some time now, each holding 2 records each. Degiorgio holds the Squat and Total, while Galea holds the Bench and Deadlift. They were neck and neck after the squat, but Degiorgio etched ahead during the Bench Press, leaving Galea unable to pick up his 2nd and 3rd attempts at 200kgs in the Deadlift. No records were broken, but Degiorgio lifted the title and did well to claim 3rd place overall, as well as defend his spot at number 3 in the National Rankings. He dedicated this great performance to his newborn son Nathan.

In second place overall and lifting the title of National Champion in the 90kg category, Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) made his larger than life appearance, exactly 12kgs heavier than he was at the February test in Zurrieq 9 weeks ago where he competed in the 75kg category. He established a new 90kg category National Record in the Squat with a 202.5kg lift, as well as new Deadlift and Total records of 255kgs and 590kgs respectively, finishing the competition with 354points. Muscat Inglott will also be guest lifting at the German National Championships next month in Dusseldorf.

Mario Mifsud (below) was once again crowned king of local powerlifting, once again affirming his rank at number one. The hulking prodigy from Heavy Metal club in Birkirkara delivered a breath-taking performance, culminated in a truly world class 300kg deadlift. Egged on by the crowd, he made a valiant attempt at the open world record of 310.5kgs, but fell just short, just about clearing his knees. No doubt he will nail it soon and achieve Malta's first open world record.

Daniel Debono and Alexsandr Dolgopolyk sadly bombed out, highlighting the importance of good tactics in powerlifting competition.

The event was sponsored by the PRELUNA HOTEL, SIMON'S BAR at the ZURRIEQ FOOTBALL CLUB, EXOTIQUE, and SALON 15 in Sliema. A special thanks goes out to Mr and Mrs Backelant, Charles Degiorgio, Luke Zahra, Edward Attard, Daniel Debono and Ilona Krista Dougal for their assistance.

One Week to Showdown!

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:19:00 +0000

We are now a week away from the event of the year! The programme for the championships currently looks as follows:

1000-1200: Weigh in ALL ATHLETES
1200: Lift off B group
1700: Lift off A group
Immediately after lifting ends:DRUG TESTING
2000: PRESENTATION of RAFFLE and CATEGORY/OVERALL WINNERS
2230: ALMIGHTY PISS-UP!!

The groups will be divided as follows:

A GROUP:
Mario Mifsud
Matthew Muscat Inglott
Charles Degiorgio
Sean Galea
Emanuel Schembri
Alexsander Dolgopolyk
Daniel Debono
Kurt Bullock

B GROUP:
Marvin Cilia
Edward Attard
George Bonanno
Chris Schinas
Jean Luc Micallef
Adrian Debattista
Mariel Incorvaja
Josephine DeMaria Casabene

Check back throughout the week for updates!

Malta National Championships; One Hot Ticket!

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Attention all lifters: The National Championships are less than a month away!

The sport of Powerlifting has grown enormously over the past year and this years Championships look set to reflect this. We expect a great show and a healthy mix of experienced as well as new lifters. Bring along all your friends for an action-packed day of muscle and might!

This years Nationals will be held on Saturday April 11 at the Malta University Residence in Lija.

WDFPF President Wim Backelant will again be in attendance to supervise the event.

All lifters will be required to pay the annual MDFPA membership fee of 10 Euro, as well as a drug testing fee of 18 Euro. The National Championships are the cornerstone of our annual calendar, so drug testing will be carried out and equipment rules must be followed to bring the MDFPA in full compliance with the WDFPF.

Please be aware ALL LIFTERS MUST WEAR A SINGLET. This new rule will be brought into effect as from this national championship series. Also please be aware of the following equipment rules:

A T-Shirt must be worn beneath the singlet for the SQUAT and BENCH PRESS. Knee-high socks must be worn for the DEADLIFT. NO SUPPORTIVE EQUIPMENT other than a LIFTING BELT and WRIST WRAPS may be worn. No other equipment may be worn. Bandages around the knees or elbows are strictly forbidden.

All lifters planning to compete please email us at maltapowerlifting@gmail.com providing your full name and body weight.

Please download and fill in the APPLICATION FORM and bring it with you on the day of the championships along with your 28 Euro membership and drug testing fees.

We are anticipating a two-phased event with the tentative schedule looking as follows:

1100: Weighing-in 'B GROUP'
1200: Lift-off 'B GROUP'

1500: Weight-in 'A GROUP'
1700: Lift-off 'A GROUP'

Please check back here regularly for updates and developments!

Heavy Metal Gym; Malta Champions!

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Heavy Metal became Malta's strongest group of men last Saturday at the Feelgood Spa, Preluna Hotel. Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri performed true to form and brought along their secret weapon Lawrence Ransley to complete the fine trio. The giant Ransley tipped the scales at a massive 126kgs which means all his lifts were new 145kg category National Records. He enters the National Rankings at 6th place; not a bad debut at all. Schembri again tried to break his own 125kg category National Squat record but narrowly missed out. Malta's number one Mifsud had to hold back on his squatting due to an adductor injury, however benched and deadlifted true to form to accumulate more points than any other lifter present. Together the Heavy Metal lifters achieved a combined tally of 1004 points.

Charles Degiorgio led his Fitness Planet team to second place along with his up and coming young lifter George Bonnanno and another explosive newcomer Alexsandr Dolgopolyk. Dolgopolyk totaled a very respectable 487.5kgs and helped Degiorgio's team along to a combined score of 950 points. The newcomer is ranked number 7 after this stunning debut. Degiorgio himself has now climbed to third place in the overall National Rankings, becoming one of Malta's elite lifters. His total of 465kgs is a new National Record in the 67.5kg category. He now holds two national records in that category, as does Sean Galea.

The 'Raw Power' lifters from Sliema did their best to keep up with Degiorgio's men but had to settle for the third spot. Sean Galea teamed up with his experienced teammates Daniel Debono and Kurt Bullock, who delivered a convincing performance that left them just short of second place with 924 points. Galea lifted conservatively, choosing to focus his sights on next months Nationals, where he will attempt to recapture third place in the National rankings away from Degiorgio. A Degiorgio – Galea face off will add a special flavour to the Nationals in a contest that truly cannot be missed! Debono delivered the performance of a lifetime, upping his points and deadlifing 192.5kgs. As a junior lifter, if he can replicate this lift at the European or World Single Event Championships this year, Malta may gain another entry to the record books alongside Emanuel Schembri's Junior World Record in the 125kg category Squat.

Trailing behind the front runners was the newly formed Zurrieq Powerlifting Club under the tutelage of Matthew Muscat Inglott. He enlisted the services of Chris Schinas and Jean-Luc Micallef to accumulate 859 points in fourth place. Muscat Inglott staged his return to the 90kg category, annihilating his own National Records set just under a year ago.

It's back to the gym now for all our lifters ahead of next month's Nationals which should be an unforgettable experience. Here follow the day's results.

1st Place: HEAVY METAL (Birkirkara)
Mifsud(355)/Schembri(324)/Ransley(324)
= 1004 points

2nd Place: FITNESS PLANET (Zebbug)
Degiorgio(344)/Dolgopolyk(313)/Bonnanno(292
= 950 points

3rd Place: RAW POWER (Sliema)
Debono(313)/Bullock(306)/Galea(304)
= 924 points

4th Place: ZURRIEQ P.C. (Zurrieq)
Muscat Inglott(352)/Micallef(255)/Schinas(252)
= 859 points

Clash of the Titans, March 14

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Four teams will battle it out on Saturday at the MDFPA Team Championship. March 14 will determine Malta's strongest team of men. The Feelgood Spa in Sliema will again play host the MDFPA for a exciting festival of power and might which kicks off at 1430hrs.

Hot favourites 'Heavy Metal' will be captained by Malta's number one lifter Mario Mifsud. Also in his corner is number 5 in the rankings, heavyweight Emanuel Schembri, junior world record holder in the Squat. With two top dogs on the same side, they will be a tough act to beat.

Sean Galea's 'Raw Power' will be enlisting the services of lifters 6 and 8 in the National Rankings Kurt Bullock and Daniel Debono. Sean Galea is currently ranked third and his team looks like a strong contender for the title with good all-round capabilities.

A rising force from the south will be headed by Charles Degiorgio, ranked 4th. He will be assisted by some fresh talent, including the excting newcomer George Bonanno, who made an impressive debut last month at the Zurrieq Test Competition where he jumped straight to 11th place in the rankings. Degiorgio is currently preparing his team for battle at Fitness Planet in Zebbug.

Finally, Zurrieq Powerlifting Club will be led by Matthew Muscat Inglott, ranked second behind Mario Mifsud in the national rankings. He will be stepping forwards with two of his budding prospects Chris Schinas and Jean-Luc Micallef, ranked 14 and 17, and steadily rising.

An interesting mix of experience and fresh talent will make this scrap one for the history books! Weighing in will commence at 1230 and the action will kick off at 1430. See you all there!

Rumble Down South

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:15:00 +0000

The Zurrieq FC Fitness Complex played host last Saturday to the first MDFPA Powerlifting event of the new 2009 season. Local Powerlifters came out in force to flex some competitive muscle and deliver some pulse raising action. The full day of lifting yielded plenty of drama, five new national records, and some exciting new talent.

Weighing in at a trim 74.4kgs, Matthew Muscat Inglott (above & below) took Charles Degiorgio's Squat and Total records in the 75kg category with his 170kg Squat and 520kg Total. Muscat Inglott now has 11 national records under his belt in three separate weight categories. With such big fluctuations in body weight over the 2008 season, he has some serious decisions to make about where he will focus his efforts in 2009, be it the 75, 82.5, or even the 90 kg category.

Having dropped into the 67.5kg category Charles Degiorgio (below) was well placed to mount an assault on Sean Galea's National records. This he managed to do in the Squat with his impressive 162.5kg lift, but only managed to get agonizingly close in the Bench and Deadlift. The muscular Degiorgio has significantly sharpened his game and is steadily climbing up the national rankings, he now occupies the 4th spot behind Galea.

The menacing 125kg lifter from Zurrieq itself Emanuel Schembri (below) was lifting on home ground. He delighted the local crowd with a new national Squat record of 230kgs, breaking his own previous record by 5kgs. Keep in mind Schembri is a Junior world record holder in the Squat. He has truly established himself as one of our premier lifters and looks set for another colourful year on the international circuit.

Having just turned 20, Kurt Bullock (below) is now officially a Junior lifter and a strong contender for this age category on the international platform. His diligent training regimen is yielding dividends with good steady improvement each time he steps up to compete. The solid youngster totaled 460 in the 75kg category.

Marvin Cilia (below) made his comeback after last lifting in the 2008 National Championships. His perfect squat technique rewarded him with a flawless 205kg lift. A couple of kilograms less in bodyweight would make him a significant contender in the 100kg class. Up and coming lifter Edward Attard lived up to all expectations and delivered an exceptional performance. The methodical lifter is a force to be reckoned with in the 75kg class, and will be gunning for the title in April alongside Kurt Bullock and the rest of the field. That should be a great lift-off between the titans, just as it was last year. A return from Elton Caruana would be all we need to really make it an unforgettable battle. He is indeed training, but it's anybodies guess when he will decide to step forwards.

George Bonanno (below) exploded onto the scene with a mystifying debut. He shocked all those present by nipping at the heels of his more experienced counterparts in the 75kg class. Bonanno is literally bursting with potential and can go the distance if he only sticks with his training regimen under the watchful eye of his coach Charles Degiorgio. He showed great aptitude under the bar and a killer instinct on his way to a very respectable 422.5kg total. Very impressive.

Also making his debut, Chris Schinas (below) showed enormous potential with a 342.5kg total in the 67.5kg class. Considering he is being coached by Matthew Muscat Inglott, he has the tools to carry his craft all the way to a convincing showing at the nationals in April. Jean-Luc Micallef registered considerable improvement in this, his second outing to the platform. As always he did not disappoint with his squatting when he posted a very competitive 125kg lift. He too will be looking to make a presence in April in the 67.5kg class. Homegrown talent Antoine Zahra is just oozing power from his solid 98kg frame. After taking up powerlifting only a few weeks ago, he bravely stepped up to make a convincing debut. A little work on technique will allow him to exploit the great power at his disposal over the coming months.

The awesome Mario “The Monster” Mifsud (below) dropped by for a token performance by competing solely in the Bench Press. To the delight of a thrilled crowd Mifsud smashed his own Bench Press record in the 125kg category, raising the mark from 170kgs up to 185kgs with apparent ease. Mariel Incorvaja stepped forth as the second Maltese female ever to register a total in an official powerlifting competition. She deadlifted true to form with a great 130kg pull.

Here follow the official results, with new national records highlighted in red. Please note that the MDPFA official website has been updated with all new records and national rankings.

Tony Camilleri was head referee and did a splendid job alongside Adelia Saliba and Sean Galea who all made some good fair calls. Special thanks goes out to the Feelgood Wellness Spa as the main sponsors, and Alex Zammit for going out of his way to deliver a new deadlifting platform in the nick of time! Thanks Fonzi!!

February Test Competition Will Kick Off 2009

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:02:00 +0000

The MDFPA calendar for the first quarter of 2009 has been officially released and the first hot ticket is already shaping up to be an unforgettable event. Malta's top ranked Powerlifters will all be there polishing their game ahead of the TEAM Championships in March and the Malta Nationals on April 11.

The test competition will be held at the Zurrieq FC Fitness Complex, Main Street Zurrieq, now home to the newly formed Zurrieq Powerlifting Club. The top names will lift, as well as some up and coming athletes who look set to cause significant upheavals in the National Rankings. Rising prodigy Edward Attard (above) has shown some remarkable progress lately under the tutelage of his coach MDFPA President Nikolai Borg. 100kg National Champion Marvin Cilia and veteran lightweight Elton Caruana will be staging their comebacks to the platform, and some new discoveries from Zurrieq itself will be making their debuts.

Entries are sprouting up from all over the island so get your bid in asap if you would like to compete, just drop us a line at maltapowerlifting@gmail.com. Spectators are more than welcome as always! Lifting will commence at 12:00hrs (Weigh-in starts 10:00hrs). The atmosphere at MDFPA events has never let us down so far, and this test competition is shaping up to be a great kick-off for the 2009 season of which we have great expectations boths locally and internationally.

Unstoppable Maltese Team for World Single-Lift Championships

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:47:00 +0000

Malta's athletes made a strong showing at the WDFPF World Single-Lift Championships in Antwerp over the weekend. The Championships were held over three days and attracted over 300 powerlifters from all corners of the globe.

Day one kicked off with squats. 125kg category National Record holder in the Squat Emanuel Schembri (above & below) was Malta's sole offering in this event. After opening with 200kgs, he succeeded in breaking the World Junior Record of 215kgs with his 2nd attempt, raising the mark to 217.5kgs. The previous record was set earlier this year by the young Irishman Ben Loughrey. In his 3rd attempt, Schembri raised the bar even further with a 222.5kg lift. A Junior World Champion and World Record was a good start on day one for the MDFPA.

On Day two the venue was well and truly packed as some of the World's strongest drug-free benchers came forth to strut their stuff on the bench press. Nikolai Borg (below) entered the 67.5kg category earning a respectable 3rd place in the senior division. After nailing his first two attempts at 102kgs and 107.5kgs respectively, he just missed his final attempt at 112.5kgs which would have earned him a new National Record which is currently held by Sean Galea at 110kgs.

Day three saw Malta's largest contingent step onto the platform, starting with the only female of the team, Mariel Incorvaja. She did well to lift her 2nd attempt of 110kgs in good form in the Masters 1 category. Malta's youngest lifter Daniel Debono (below) turned up all set to challenge for the Junior World Record in the 67.5kg category which currently belongs to Farid Maachou of France and stands at 190kgs. Debono pulled 187.5kgs in good form but just missed his valiant attempt at 192.5kgs, securing his place as Junior World Champion in the 67.5kg class.

Senior lifter Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) has been very busy dieting and running lately. Usually an 82.5kg lifter, he managed to slim down to 73.5kgs to challenge for the Open 75kg class Deadlift title, with Dave Nicastro from the USA's 242.5kg World Record firmly insight. His opener and 2nd attempts of 220kgs and 235kgs respectively went up in good style, but his 3rd attempt at 242.5kgs stalled halfway up his thighs. He was content to settle for the 75kg Open World Championship title and a new National Record which previously belonged to Charles Degiorgio at 205kgs.

Malta's powerhouse Mario Mifsud (below) raised hell in the 125kgs class amidst a fearsome selection of very large and ferocious lifters. His successful 2nd attempt at 295kgs was enough to secure an open victory in his weight category. Although Mifsud's 3rd attempt at 300kgs somehow found its way into the fully upright position, it didn't get there the way the referees wanted it to. Unlucky, but a 295 was all he needed.

MDFPA President Tony Camilleri was pleased with the lifters' performances and is determined to submit a larger team to the full Powerlifting 3-lift Championships next year in Italy. A big slap on the back goes out to all the lifters who did us proud in Belgium!

Antwerp here we come!

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:51:00 +0000

The bar was well and truly raised yesterday as Maltese Powerlifting enters a whole new dimension. National records fell like rain, as Malta's strongest men came together to show why they are a force to be reckoned with in the World of international drug-free Powerlifting.

The test competition was held as an opportunity for lifters to get some qualification lifts in ahead of the World Single-event Championships in Antwerp next month. Out of the 16 lifters present, 8 secured their passage and have confirmed their place on the Malta National Team for Belgium.

Matthew Muscat Inglott took the competition overall on points, with Sean Galea in second and Emmanuel Schembri in third. The action kicked off with some serious squatting all round. Josephine DeMaria Casabene became the first woman to register a total in a Local Powerlifting event. Her squat of 75kgs at 47.5kgs bodyweight means she is a hot prospect for chasing the world record mark which stands just 15kgs away at 90kgs. Only time will tell what the iron wielding diva will cook up in her next outing to the lifting platform.

Emmanuel Schembri dazzled the audience with some breath-taking squatting. In his third attempt he equalled Mario Mifsud's national record of 220kgs in the 125kg class. He decided to go for glory and took a fourth attempt at 225kgs to secure his name in the record books. He raised the bending bar in perfect style.

Sean Galea weighed in at a ripped-to-shreds 66.8kgs to challenge junior European Champion Daniel Debono's dominance in the 67.5kg class. This he did in grand style as he broke all four records with a 155kg squat, a 110kg bench press, 200kg deadlift, and 460kg total, leaving the young Debono with some catching up to do. Galea has now accumulated 337 Schwartz points which means he joins the ranks of Malta's elite lifters at number 3, proving he is ready for world class competition.

Equally as impressive was Charles Degiorgio's clean up of the 75kg class. Teenage prodigy Kurt Bullock, who held the total record until yesterday, turned up determined to break the other three records which were previously held by Sean Galea and Emmanuel Vidal. This he did, but he didn't bank on Charles Degiorgio making his weight category. Degiorgio competed at 82.5kgs back in March, but successfully dropped weight to take the 75's by storm. He snatched all the 75kg class records with a 150kg squat, 120kg bench, and 205kg deadlift.

By the time the deadlifts kicked off, the competition had already dealt some damaging blows to the record books, but there was plenty more to come. At just 19 years old, Nikita Taliana hoisted Malta's heaviest female deadlift of 130kgs securing her place on the National Team. Marielle Incorvaja replied with a 125kg pull. She will also be making the passage to Antwerp where she stands a good chance to take the Masters 1 category.

European number 3 in the 82.5kg class Matthew Muscat Inglott smashed his own national deadlift record when he picked up 245kgs at 77.7kgs bodyweight making this the first triple bodyweight Deadlift by a Maltese powerlifter, with a good 10kgs to spare. If he can drop to 75kgs for Antwerp and repeat this performance, there's a serious chance for another gold for Malta.

Malta's strongest man and top ranked powerlifter Mario Mifsud turned up to polish his deadlifting form before he joins the National Team next month. Another hot prospect for awards in Antwerp, he lifted all four of his deadlifts in convincing fashion, rounding off with 305kgs for a new 125kg national record. When this beast is let loose on the international stage next month, heads will turn and floors will rumble.

Edward Attard, Jean-Luc Micallef, Luke Zahra, and Andre Lupi made their debuts while Adrian Debattista continued to polish off his competitive game. The event ran smoothly under the guidance of officials and helping hands Nikolai Borg, Niki Young and Adelia Saliba.

The Malta National team for the World Single-lift Championships will be composed of Emmanuel Schembri for squats on the 9th of October, Nikolai Borg and possibly Charles Degiorgio will bench on the 10th, while Nikita Taliana, Marielle Incorvaja, Mario Mifsud and Matthew Muscat Inglott will be raising hell in deadlifts on the final day of the championship series on the 11th.

Pioneering lifters make Malta debut in Castleblaney

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:37:00 +0000

Our athletes registered a stellar performance at the WDFPF European Championships last Saturday. Over a hundred Powerlifters from all over Europe descended on the small town of Castleblaney in Ireland for the ultimate showdown of natural drug-free power.

First up for Malta was Daniel Debono (above), National Champion in the 67.5kg category. He has shown great improvement on his squat and his final attempt of 122.5kgs means he is just 2.5kgs off Elton Caruana’s National Record. All the other records however are his. After benching 100kgs Debono went on to break his own deadlift record with 185kgs on the bar. This means we also have a new total record of 407.5kgs which shoots Debono up the National Rankings to 4th position. Debono placed 10th amongst a crop of experiences lightweight lifters, finishing as best junior.

Next up on the platform was Kurt Bullock (above) in the 75kgs class. The local 75kgs class is fiercely competitive, but Bullock has returned home with a new Total National Record of 435kgs under his belt showing that at just 19 years of age he is ready to challenge for the Naional Title next year. He equaled Sean Galeas’s National Squat Record of 147.5kgs, benched 100kgs, and deadlifted 187.5kgs, just 2.5kgs shy of the Deadlift National Record, which also belongs to Sean Galea. Bullocks’s lifts earned him 7th place in the 75kgs category and he was the 2nd best T3 lifter present.

Matthew Muscat Inglott (above) was Malta’s final offering of the day as he stepped up to compete in the 82.5kgs category. Back on form, he registered the performance of a lifetime in the face of some stiff opposition. He established a new National Record Squat of 190kgs, equaled his own Bench Press record of 132.5kgs, and again equaled his own Deadlift record of 235kgs, ultimately smashing his own Total National Record bringing the mark up to 557.5kgs. He finished 3rd in the 82.5kg class and was the 2nd best senior lifter.

MDFPA President Tony Camilleri supervised the trip while Nikolai Borg was on hand throughout to coach and encourage the lifters. After the competition the Maltese delegation headed off to Dublin centre for some well deserved rest and recuperation, and plenty of Guinness!

The official MDFPA website has been updated with all the new National Records broken in Ireland aswell as the new updated National Rankings. The Irish Drug-Free Powerlifting Association has released the official results which can be viewed here.

MDFPA Launches Official Website

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:20:00 +0000

The Malta Drug-Free Powerlifting Association has just launched it's official website at http://www.efitnessmalta.com/mdfpa.

The new site includes the official national records, rankings and drug test results. A comprehensive results section detailing all local competitions is also under construction and will be available shortly.

May Test Competition: Road to the Europeans

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:47:00 +0000

The Feelgood Spa last Saturday May 24 hosted a small test competition as an opportunity for National team lifters to polish their game ahead of the 2008 WDFPF European Championships in Castleblaney, Ireland, next month.

1st on points, Matthew Muscat Inglott (above) showed good form considering he was in a hospital bed just 3 weeks earlier. As an 82.5kg lifter, he weighed in a tad overweight and lifted not at all far from his best, which means all his lifts were new 90kg category records. He totaled 535kgs.

Emmanuel Schembri (above) turned up determined to break Mario Mifsud's squat record in the 125kg category. He just missed his attempt at 222.5kgs but looks certain to get it soon. He totaled 582.5kgs at 111kgs bodyweight. Schembri will bypass Castleblaney and is earmarked for the World Single Lift Championships in Belgium in October.

3rd on points, Malta's hot prospect for the Junior 67.5kg category in Ireland, Daniel Debono (above) showed great improvement in both his squat and bench press. He had little left in the tank for his deadlifts but after his final preparations over the coming month he looks certain to impress at the Europeans. He totaled 372.5kgs.

Promising newcomers Adrian Debattista (above) and Mahir Riahi (below) both registered respectable first time performances in the 110kg and 82.5kg categories respectively.

The lifters who will be competing in Ireland are Matthew Muscat Inglott, Daniel Debono, Sean Galea and Kurt Bullock. We wish them the best of luck.

2008 National Championships: Road to the Europeans

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:57:00 +0000

Following much anticipation, the MDFPA's first official (unequipped) National Championships kicked off on Saturday 29th March with the lightweight divisions in the Morning show.

WDFPF president Wim Backelant (above right) was on hand to oversee the event. With the European Championships coming up in June, this was Malta's chance to get some qualifying totals in. Our lifters did not dissapoint, with a unprecedented 8 athletes going on to make the grade. Mr. Backelant later said of our lifters, "I am surprised of the level I saw, especially considering Malta is a starting nation. Some of the lifters are already ready to compete at international level."

The ripped-to-shreds Daniel Debono (left) from the Feelgood Spa Gym was strongest in the 67.5kg class. He totalled 365kgs ending his performance with a brilliant 182.5kgs which, as a junior, places him just 17.5kgs shy of the World record in his age category. Debono now has the World Record firmly in his sights. Daniel Grima from Challenger Gym in Cottonera took the Best Bench medal from Debono with his 97.5kg press, only just missing his final attempt of 100kgs.

The 75kg category was closely contested with Kurt Bullock, Elton Caruana, and Sean Galea all gunning for the title having come into the competition with virtually identical best efforts in training. There is some fierce rivalry between these lifters which made the 75kgs category a truly nail-biting spectacle. Sean Galea (right) built up a small lead over the others in the squat and hung on to it throughout, narrowly capturing the overall title with his 425kg total and impressive final 190kg Deadlift. To top it off, Nikolai Borg stepped in to snatch the Best Bench medal from under the noses of the 3 top dogs with a convincing 102.5kg press. All the lifters in the 75kg category were lifting out of the Feelgood Spa Gym with the exception of newcomer Richard Ellul who has now gained valuable competitive experience.

Bronze medalist at last year's British National Championships in the 82.5kg class Matthew Muscat Inglott (left) took a time-out from organization duties and donned his weightlifting belt for the evening show. He lifted 542.5kgs and a 235kg Deadlift on his way to taking the overall and Best Bench Press titles in the 82.5kg class. Displaying ideal proportions for this weight class, promising new lifter Charles Degiorgio showed he had what it takes to challenge for this title in the near future by registering a convincing first time performance. No doubt we will be seeing a lot more of him on the local lifting platform.

After winning the Challenger Powerlifting Tournament in December '07, Challenger lifter Marvin Cilia (above) registered a solid performance in the 100kg class. His 497.5kg total and 132.5kg Bench Press ensured the category titles were his. Cilia lifted all his attempts in convincing fashion, showing he has a lot left in the tank for his next appearances this season.

Lifting out of the Heavy Metal Gym in Birkirkara Mario Mifsud and Emmanuel Schembri dominated the 110kg and 125kg classes respectively, both handling some awesome poundages to the delight of their spectators. The hulking Mario Mifsud (below) lifted 690kgs in total and pulled 290kgs in the Deadlift, just 30kgs away from the World Record.

At just 21 years of age, the ferocious Emmanuel Schembri (below) went a step further and attempted to equal the 125kgs Junior category World Records in both the Squat and Deadlift. He narrowly missed both attempts however with a full 2 years left in the Junior category, it is only a matter of time before he drives Malta into the record books. He lifted a total of 602.5kgs.

The best three overall pound-for-pound lifters were Mario Mifsud with 371 points, Matthew Muscat Inglott with 346 points, and Emmanuel Schembri with 322 points. The 8 athletes who have surpassed the qualification standard for the international platform and with it a spot on the National Team that will represent Malta at the European Championships in Ireland this June are: Daniel Debono, Kurt Bullock, Elton Caruana, Sean Galea, Matthew Muscat Inglott, Marvin Cilia, Mario Mifsud, and Emmanuel Schembri.

An exciting day of lifting culminated in the presentaion ceremony, drug testing, and after weeks of dieting, a well-deserved booze-up for the lifters at Q Bar at Waterfront. The event was sponsored by the Preluna Hotel and Power Sports of Luqa. Power Sports are the official vendors of all things Powerlifting in Malta.

The whole day of lifting was captured on camera and meet DVD's will be available shortly for a minimal charge of 5 Euros donation to the MDFPA. Please email maltapowerlifting@gmail.com to pre-order your copy.

A big thanks goes out to Mr. Backelant and his wife, Andrea Preca and everyone at the Preluna Hotel and Spa, organizers Tony Camilleri and Matthew Muscat Inglott, spotters and loaders Emanuel Schembri, Dmitry Popovich, Nikolai Borg, Sean Galea, and Daniel Debono, Charmaine Bianco and Adelia Saliba for helping out, and finally all the lifters and spectators for making the Championships a reality and helping create a wonderful atmosphere for all those present. Mr. Backelant praised the organizers saying they were "very courageous" in their efforts.

2008 National Championship Series

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:50:00 +0000

The Championships will be held on the last weekend of March 2008 on the 29th and 30th at the PRELUNA HOTEL in Sliema. Titles will be available in all weight categories for lifters of all shapes and sizes. Separate honours will exist for the best Bench Press in each weight category. Official National Records in the Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and total in each category will also be established.

The top lifters who surpass the WDFPF qualifying standards will have the opportunity to represent Malta at the 2008 European Championships in Ireland this coming June.

Please download the Application Form, (if you experience difficulties with this link please email maltapowerlifting@gmail.com to request an application form) print and fill it out, and return ASAP either in person at the Feelgood Wellness Spa in Sliema, or mail to:

MDFPA,
13, OTRADA,
TRIQ MATTEW PULIS,
SLIEMA,
SLM 3055.

Closing date for submission of application forms is the 21st of March.

Categories up to the 75kgs class will be contested on the 29th of March, and all the remaining categories from 82.5kgs upwards will be contested the following day, on the 30th of March. The Championships will take place at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema. All lifters must register with the MDFPA and the WDFPF for a registration fee of 10 Euros.

The MDFPA is committed to the worldwide initiative of cleaning up the image of strength sports. Drug-free Powerlifting is for naturally trained athletes and drug testing will be conducted at the championships. MDFPA lifters must also be available for random drug tests that can be carried out at any time of the year at the discretion of the MDFPA doping-control officials. Check out the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list to find out which substances are banned. All lifters are obliged to pay a 18 Euro drug testing fee.

Regular supplements and creatine are fine, but beware of supplements that claim to raise testosterone levels, and all supplements that are manufactured by brands who also manufacture pro-hormones and other illegal drugs, as they are susceptible to cross contamination between their products. Drug test results are made public through the association website, and failed drug tests result in an automatic lifetime ban from competition. These rigorous controls are essential to protect the integrity of strength sports and keep competitions fair for everyone.

Upon receipt of your registration fees we will provide you with a membership card and a handbook to assist you in your preparation for the Championships and totally familiarize you with competition proceedings. Registration fees can be paid in cash at the Feelgood Wellness Spa at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema any time from now up until the competition day. On the competition day itself when you are weighed in will be the final opportunity for payment. Lifters who do not pay the fees will not be allowed to compete.

So if you want to compete make sure you complete the following checklist:

- Start training!!!
- Download and fill out the application form
- Submit it in person at the Feelgood Spa together with 28 Euros in cash before March 21
- OR submit it by post to the above address before March 21, and pay your fees in cash on the day of the competition when you weigh-in
- Read through the MDFPA handbook before the day of the competition to ensure you are fully prepared
- Double check the schedule above and make sure you are on time for the weigh-in of your weight category

Marvin Cilia top dog at Challenger Tournament

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:34:00 +0000

Six budding powerlifters came together at the Challenger Gym in Cottonera to cut their teeth on the lifting platform in preparation for an exciting upcoming Powerlifting season in 2008. It looks like the biggest Powerlifting event ever seen in Malta is likely to happen sometime around the end of March 2008, where national titles will be up for grabs in all weight categories. The Challenger lifters under the guidance of Darryl Poulton are now well placed to make a strong presence at the championships.

With a firm background in athletics, Challenger Gym’s own Marvin Cilia performed most of his attempts with relative ease for a 467kgs total. He weighed in a tad over 90kgs making him a strong contender for that weight category next March.

At just 18 years of age, Kurt Bullock took the 2nd place trophy with a 390kgs total at 74kgs bodyweight. Lifting out of the Feelgood Spa in Sliema, Bullock has already attained a high standard in the international “Teen 3” age category. The current top local 75kgs lifter Sean Galea will have to watch his back if he is going to keep the young up and coming lifter at bay. In 3rd place was Daniel Grima with a 345kgs total at 64kgs bodyweight. Grima also won the separate trophy for best bench press with his 100kgs press.

Lydon Farrugia totalled 398kgs at 80kgs bodyweight to claim 4th place showing excellent potential. Feelgood Spa lifter Kevin Mifsud ranked 5th with his total of 390kgs at 82kgs bodyweight, registering a 10kgs improvement over his total last September at the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup. Gary Saliba totalled 305kgs at 73kgs bodyweight for the 6th spot.

Below, the competition organizer Darryl Poulton, the winners Kurt Bullock, Marvin Cilia, and Daniel Grima, and Matthew Muscat Inglott on refereeing duty.

Mario Mifsud launches Powerlifting Club

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:27:00 +0000

The National Shot Put and Discus throwing Champion, and winner of the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup, Mario Mifsud has launched his hardcore 'Heavy Metal' Gym as a haven for himself and a dedicated group of strength athletes to hone their power and lifting techniques.

Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri are top contenders for the upcoming 2008 powerlifting season. A 'Heavy Metal Gym vs. Feelgood Spa' team event may be in the pipeline where Mario Mifsud and some of the strongest men in Malta will attempt to topple Matthew Muscat Inglott and his Feelgood Spa lifters from their established position on the Maltese powerlifting scene.

We dropped in at the spartan training facility on a Saturday afternoon and witnessed some impressive deadlifting from the big men. Heavy Metal blurted out of the speaker system accompanied by the ryhthmic clanging of weights nearing a quarter of a ton smashing into the floor. Matthew Muscat Inglott, now back in action after recovering from abdominal injuries, dropped by for spying duties. No doubt he will be piling on the pressure in his own training and that of the Feelgood Spa lifters. The biggest powerlifting contest ever seen in Malta is on for the end of March 2008 with titles in every weight category up for grabs for the hungriest lifters.

Exciting day of lifting at the Preluna Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:09:00 +0000

National Shot Put and Discus throwing champion Mario Mifsud has won the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup.

Organized by the Feelgood Wellness Spa and hosted by the Preluna Hotel, the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup provided the enthusiastic crowd in attendance with an exciting and entertaining spectacle of strength and power. The invitational Powerlifting tournament produced some quality lifting and promising newcomers.

Tony Camilleri and the Feelgood girls Justine, Cristina, Charmaine, and Adelia kept
events running smoothly while Matthew Muscat Inglott refereed and kept the crowd up to speed with a running commentary. The Popovich brothers Dmitry and Vitaly ensured the proceedings stuck to schedule with some efficient loading and spotting.

The day of lifting kicked off with squats. Mario Mifsud took an early lead with his 220kgs (128 points) final attempt, with Olympic Weightlifter Emanuel Schembri hot on his heels. Manwel (left) squatted 205kgs in his 2nd attempt only to miss 220kgs in his 3rd, leaving him on 120 points. Close behind the big men at the end of the squat competition was Sean Galea with his 145kgs squat, which at a bodyweight of 68kgs earned him 110 points.

Since lifters of different bodyweights were all competing against each other, the Wilks formula was used to determine points and order of rank. Justine (right) was on scoreboard duty to show everyone how many points each lifter had at any given time.

At just 16 years old, football player Kurt Vassallo established himself amongst the front runners early on in the competition. If all our young football players take their strength and conditioning training as seriously as Kurt, then we can expect some pleasant surprises on the international football scene in the near future.

Mario Mifsud secured a commanding lead over the rest of the field with his 170kgs press for 99 points. This lift also safely secured him the separate trophy for best Bench Press. Ex-bodybuilder Emanuel Vidal (left) also challenged for the Bench Press title with his 105kgs lift at a bodyweight of 74kgs. Vidal finished second to Mifsud with 75 points. Also making an appearance in the Bench-only event was Malta road running champion Gerald Grech, showing good all-round athleticism and effective upper body strength with his lift of 75kgs at 64kgs bodyweight.

Charmaine (right) was on hand for the purchase of raffle tickets.
All the proceedings of the raffle went towards financing the competition, with the rest as prize money for the lifters. Most of the money was raised by Kevin Mifsud and the employees at Thomas Smith. The crowd in attendance also lent their valued support in raising over Lm80 to be split amongst the top 5 lifters.

Philip Bugeja, another young lifter at 19 years of age, cracked the 100kg Bench Press mark with his valiant attempt that had everyone on the edge of their seats. As the bar inched up agonizingly slowly, Philip Bugeja proved that at a bodyweight of 114kgs, has plenty of size, raw power, and ability to go far in the sport of Powerlifting.

Feelgood’s Nikolai Borg (left) faired well in the squats but unfortunately bombed out of the bench press competition with 3 failed attempts at 100kgs.

By the end of the Bench Press competition, Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri securely held the 1st and 2nd place trophies within their grasp. Sean Galea was still in 3rd but Erton Caruana was close behind in 4th place. The 16-year-old football player Kurt Vassallo kept the pressure on the front runners with some impressive lifting at 70kgs bodyweight with a 110kg squat and 90kg Bench Press.

Cristina (right) made sure everyone knew what set of attempts were to be attempted next. At the start of the Deadlifts, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th places were all up for grabs for those lifters who planned on going home with some extra money in their pockets.

A bone-crunching 270kgs Deadlift all but annihilated all the lifter’s hopes of toppling Mario Mifsud from the top spot. Emanuel Schembri secured 2nd place with a convincing 230kgs lift. Feelgood’s Erton Caruana turned the tables on Sean Galea in his speciality lift, stealing the 3rd place trophy with his lift of 170kgs. Sean Galea missed his final attempt at 165kgs and had to settle for 4th place. A fantastic achievement considering he only had 2 weeks to prepare following over a month of no training due to an unfortunate work-related accident. The powerful young Kurt Vassallo took 5th place with his final deadlift of 145kgs. After only recently taking up the sport and after just a few weeks of training at the Feelgood Spa, Kevin Mifsud pulled over double bodyweight with an impressive 175kgs. He missed out to Kurt by just 1.5 points. Unfortunate, but Kevin looks well placed to do some serious damage to the rankings in the near future.

Philip Bugeja finished in 7th place. The promising Daniel Debono deadlifted a respectable 135kgs for 8th place, while Darryl Poulton took 9th while his final lift of the day of 145kgs just about left him short of overtaking Daniel.

Darryl Poulton finishes the competition in convincing fashion with a strong 145kgs pull.

A strong top pull with 135kgs from the promising Daniel Debono.

Bursting with power, the young Philip Bugeja leaving his mark with 175kgs.

Kevin Mifsud fights 175kgs off the floor for 6th place.

The future of Maltese football Kurt Vassallo clinches the 5th place prize money with his 145kgs lift.

Sean Galea phsyches up for his personal war with 165kgs.

A ripped Erton Caruana at 66kgs bodyweight clearing 170kgs for 3rd place.

Emanuel Schembri the Olympic lifter shows us how its done. A nice pull up and into the body with 230kgs.

Strongest man in Malta, the monstruous Mario Mifsud pulls 270kgs with apparent ease.

More videos:

Erton Caruana - Squat - 125kgs (275lbs) at 66kgs (145lbs) bodyweight.
Emanuel Schembri - Squat - 205kgs (451lbs) at 111kgs (244lbs) bodyweight.
Mario Mifsud - Squat - 220kgs (484lbs) at 113kgs (248lbs) bodyweight.

Sean Galea - Bench Press (miss) - 95kgs (209lbs) at 68kgs (149lbs)bodyweight.

Kurt Vassallo - Deadlift - 145kgs (319lbs) at 76kgs (167lbs) bodyweight.
Erton Caruana - Deadlift (miss) - 170kgs (374lbs) at 66kgs (145lbs) bodyweight.
Kevin Mifsud - Deadlift - 175kgs (385lbs) at 81kgs (178lbs) bodyweight.
Emanuel Schembri - Deadlift - 230kgs (506lbs) at 111kgs (244lbs) bodyweight.

Recovering from a hard road race just the day before, Gerald Grech (left) showed great sportsmanship in turning up to support the Invitational Powerlifting tournament. Kevin Mifsud (below right)
performed excellently in his first competition of this kind, and made an invaluable input by selling raffle tickets to Thomas Smith employees, greatly bolstering the prize money, which unfortunately he missed out on winning by just 1.5 points!

The raffle prizes were eventually drawn, bringing the show to a conclusion. A big slap on the bag to all the lifters for giving us a great show, and hats off to the Feelgood Wellness Spa and Preluna hotel for pulling the whole thing off and showcasing local strength sports in such entertaining style.

Here follow the official results:

And the Bench-only competition:

A special thanks to the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup sponsors the Feelgood Wellness Spa, Preluna Hotel and Spa, Exotique, and Thomas Smith travel and insurance who all showed great iniative in their support for local sport.

Matthew Muscat Inglott at 2007 British Unequipped Championships

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:46:00 +0000

After qualifying in Yorkshire back in April, Maltese powerlifter Matthew Muscat Inglott was in Birmingham last Sunday 2nd of September for the 2007 British Unequipped Powerlifting Championships 82.5kgs bodyweight category. The competition was well attended with a total of 8 lifters battling it out for the title. Muscat Inglott was representing Yorkshire and the Northeast.

After weighing in at a light 80.1kgs, Muscat Inglott opened up with an easy 170kgs squat. With the first lift under his belt he went on to lift 187.5kgs in good form. After driving out of the "hole" in his final attempt with 190kgs, he stalled half way up and could not complete the movement, therefore settling for 187.5kgs as his best squat. Steve Gates from the East Midlands won the Squat competition with a brilliant 207.5kgs.

Muscat Inglott had high hopes in the Bench Press but unfortunately missed his final attempt of 137.5kgs and had to be content with 132.5kgs from his previous attempt. At this point Muscat Inglott was in third place and had the bronze medal in his sights. Maxwell Herd from Greater London won the Bench Press event with an impressive 155kgs.

The fight began during the Deadlifts after sustaining an abdominal injury with a 205kgs opener. After two painful but successful struggles with 225kgs and 227.5kgs respectively, Muscat Inglott went on to lift a final total 547.5kgs. Steve Gates won the Deadlift event with his 257.5kgs lift, and with it, the overall championship title and gold medal with his final total of 590kgs. Maxwell Herd finished 2nd for the silver medal with a total of 565kgs, and Matthew Muscat Inglott 3rd for the bronze with 547.5kgs.

This total shows a good improvement over the 535kgs total obtained in Yorkshire 4 months ago. Muscat Inglott was sponsored by the Preluna Hotel, with invaluable backing and support from Andrea Preca and Tony Camilleri.

Matthew had a well-deserved rest with his brother Daniel after the competition, pictured below outside the Bullring in Birmingham.

Matthew Muscat Inglott in good form at British YNE Championships

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:00:00 +0000

Matthew Muscat Inglott was in Ashington on April 28 for the Yorkshire & North East Counties Unequipped Powerlifting Championships where he took first place in the senior 82.5kg class.

After weighing in at 80.7 kgs Muscat Inglott went on to lift all his squat attempts of 165kgs, 175kgs, and finally, 180kgs. He missed his first Bench Press of 115kgs for not awaiting the referees "Press" signal, but proceeded to lift 120kgs and 130kgs in good form. For the Deadlift Muscat Inglott started with 200kgs and proceeded with his successful lifts of 220kgs, and finally 225kgs.

With a total of 535kgs, Muscat Inglott easily surpased the British National qualifying standard of 510kgs and has therefore earned his passage to the British National Unequipped Championships to be held on September 1-2.

More details about Powerlifting in Yorkshire and the Northeast can be found at the YNE divisional website at http://www.weights.demon.co.uk/.

The official results of the 2007 YNE Unequipped Powerlifting Championships can be viewed here: http://www.weights.demon.co.uk/yne/uepl07.gif

2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:34:00 +0000

On Saturday April 14 the Feelgood Wellness Spa organized and hosted a friendly Powerlifting contest for its strongest members. The “2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge” was well attended by friends, family, Feelgood members, and some enthusiastic residents from the Preluna Hotel. The competition was overseen by officials Georgei Manolov and Dmitry Popovic.

Powerlifting competitions consist of attempts at maximal weights in 3 exercises; the squat (the legs must bend until the thigh is below parallel to the floor), bench press (the bar must come into contact with the chest and pause there for one second before pressing), and deadlift. The best attempts at each lift are added and points are calculated using a formula that also takes into account the lifters’ age and bodyweight.

This year’s Feelgood champion Erton Caruana (above left) snatched first place with some exciting lifting. In the Deadlift, Caruana picked up nearly two-and-a-half times his own bodyweight with his 165kg lift. He posted a final total of 395kgs, which at a bodyweight of 67kgs earned him 305 points. Hot on his heels in 2nd place was 69kg rival Sean Galea (right) as both lifters continuously jockeyed for the 1st place trophy throughout the competition. Galea posted an impressive 135kg squat, eventually going on to total 379kgs for 285 points.

Nikolai Borg (below left) won the crowd’s support with his final deadlift attempt and valiant struggle against 145kgs. A lift that normally takes no more than several seconds to complete, turned into a drawn out war as the bar inched agonizingly slowly off the floor and up into its final position. He eventually lifted a total of 355kgs, which at a bodyweight of 68.5kgs secured him the 3rd place trophy with 270 points. At 61-years-young, Nick Matthews (below right) kept all the lifters under pressure with an impressive 300kgs total earning him 4th place with 255 points.

The crowd was also entertained with some bar-bending poundages from the two guest lifters Matthew Muscat Inglott and Mario Mifsud. Matthew Muscat Inglott (below left) lifted as part of his preparation for the upcoming British North East Championships in Yorkshire on April 28. At a bodyweight of 80kgs, he accumulated 366 points with his final total of 540kgs.
National Junior record holder in the Discus throw, athlete Mario Mifsud (below right) pitted his hulking 110kg bodyweight against some awesome weights in his first competition of this kind. To the delight of the crowd, he picked up his final deadlift of 250kgs with ease, showing great potential to do some damage in the international raw heavyweight classes in the imminent future. He lifted a grand total of 615kgs for 361 points.

August 2006 Test Competition

noreply@blogger.com (MaltaPowerlifting) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:01:00 +0000

An unequipped test competition was held at the Feelgood Spa on August 12 2006 as a chance for Maltese lifters to flex their competitive muscle. Malta Powerlifting Association official Mark Farrugia was referee.

Matthew Muscat Inglott, Sean Galea, and Erton Caruana participated as Feelgood team lifters while Dmitri Popovich lifted as a guest. The competition was a valuable experience for all those involved.

Here follow the results.

If you are interested in forming a team and Participating against the Feelgood team please contact us at info@efitnessmalta.com